In my fifth year as the Chair of Llanrhian Community Council, I’m pleased to present a short report highlighting some of our activities over the past municipal year.
Town and Community Councils are established by law and represent the most local level of democratic governance. They are run by local people who are either elected or co-opted, working on behalf of their area. These councils are made up of individuals who are invested in their community and committed to improving it as a place to live, supporting a range of activities that aim to enhance local well-being.
Llanrhian Community Council is one of the smaller councils in Pembrokeshire, but I believe we continue to punch above our weight, working collaboratively to support our area. This year, our combined efforts have comprised:
Llanrhian Connected Community
This project continues to go from strength to strength, historically supported by Pembrokeshire County Council’s ‘Enhancing Pembrokeshire’ grant and match funding from the Community Council, we have now reached a position where we are able to fund this through the precept and not have to rely on the annual rigmarole of grant applications. Our Community Link Officer has helped deepen community connections across the ward, with standout successes including:
- The continuation of the ‘Widows United’ friendship group;
- The hugely popular and well-attended community lunches across the area;
- Publication of the monthly e-bulletin, now reaching over 200 subscribers;
- The ‘warm spaces’ initiative, which this year saw over 300 hot meals provided to local residents across five venues and with over 20 volunteers giving their time.
We remain proud facilitators and enablers of this work, using our statutory position and precept to host, advise and provide structure to projects that build resilience and connectivity.
From the start of the 2026 municipal year, we will have 4 link officers working across the area with plans to re-invigorate communications including Llais Rhian.
Public Toilets
We continue to manage the public toilets in Porthgain and Trefin. These are not statutory services, but we recognise how vital they are for both residents and visitors. We have also continued to support Abereiddi Toilet for the forthcoming year, making a contribution of just over £700. These services also create a small amount of local employment, reinforcing our role in supporting the wider community infrastructure.
Common Land
This past year, work has continued to better understand the common land situation in Trefin, ensuring that any decisions around its use or management are made with clear legal and historical insight, and at the time of writing, the council has recently met with Pembrokeshire County Council’s common land officer to create an up-to-date and accurate village green map.
Trefin Playpark and Community Pavilion
We continue to manage the playpark and pavilion, and after a few years of fundraising and volunteering efforts, this last year has seen progress slow down. However, we are investigating costs for the replacement of equipment and are planning some volunteering days in partnership with Trefin Community.
Finance
Despite our increasing responsibilities, we took the decision this year to keep the precept stable at £25,000. This enables us to continue supporting our current programmes, meet growing demands such as toilet maintenance, and provide a financial reserve for future contingencies. We remain prudent stewards of public funds, while continuing to act as administrators for funding related to Llanrhian Connected Community, and we’ve seen a previously supported venture, Ynni Bro Rhian, establish itself as a community benefit society to help explore renewable energy initiatives for the area. Small but important donations have also been made to organisations such as Wales Air Ambulance, Eisteddfodd, and the Young Farmers, recognising their vital role in rural community life.
Defibrillators
We manage five defibrillators across the ward (located in Square & Compass, Trefin, Porthgain, Croesgoch and Llanrhian), and have just added a new one in Trefin playpark.
Other notable activities
We maintain a social media presence on facebook with around 670 followers; councillors have attended 7 training courses this year to keep on top of changing requirements; as a statutory consultee, we review all planning applications within our boundaries, and in a significant shift, the Council is now an employer, employing seven people through the payroll, which includes four link officers, two toilet operatives, and our clerk. Finally, we have a new logo, designed by Richard Cotton, adding a touch of professionalism to our correspondence.
Closing Remarks
This year, we were pleased to welcome Cllr Sharon Griffiths to the council. At the same time, we were sorry to see Cllr Rob Smith step down due to ill health; we wish him well and thank him for his many years of contribution. I would also like to extend my thanks to the Deputy Chair, John Morgan, who has capably stepped in whenever I’ve been unable to attend meetings, and to all our councillors who turn up, and do their bit to make a positive difference to our place. Our activity is all underpinned by our exceptional clerk Vanessa Walker, has once again supported us brilliantly.
I’m proud of what we’ve achieved over the past year. Despite being a small council, Llanrhian Community Council remains active, engaged, and dedicated to supporting our communities.
Diolch,
Cllr Neil Prior
Chair, Llanrhian Community Council
County Councillor Neil Prior 